


good as new

by madkingray



Series: August Sheith Week 2016 [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, August Sheith Week, AugustSheithWeek, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 12:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7845163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madkingray/pseuds/madkingray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Wait, one more thing.”</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes but finds himself smiling as he stays in place. He watches as Shiro presses a kiss over the bandages on each hand. The action fills him with warmth, a small habit of Shiro’s after they got to know each other (and after they got together).</p><p>“There we go,” Shiro says when he sits up, smiling at Keith. He then leans forward, kissing him quickly. “Good as new."</p><p>-</p><p>day 2: sickness/injury</p>
            </blockquote>





	good as new

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to mi best friend and to may for checking to make sure this was all okay (again)! hope you all enjoy it <3

“You shouldn’t get into fights, Keith. You could get in trouble for all this.”

Keith says nothing, watching as Shiro gently wipes away the blood on his knuckles. Despite being so focused on the task, he knows that he’s also paying attention to Keith—soft apology leaving his lips whenever he tenses up because of the pain.

Shiro looks up and meets his gaze, frowning. “What happened this time?”

“Some of the older kids were trying to get a rise out of me, they seemed a bit annoyed that I was better than them or something. I didn’t really pay attention to them,” Shiro makes a noise as he holds out a hand and Keith reaches for the bandage wraps he has, passing them over to Shiro. “Then one of them shoved me and brought you up and so now here I am.”

“What did they say?”

“Just some stuff,” Keith moves his fingers once one hand was wrapped, satisfied with Shiro’s work; he barely feels any pain. “I’d rather not repeat it. They didn’t say anything bad about _you,_ just finding ways to insult me by bringing you up.”

“Oh, yeah?”

He nods, moving his fingers on his other hand when Shiro’s finishes with that. No pain. “It’s fine, though. I can handle it and if it gets worse, well, we already know that I’ll win.” He starts to pull away, stopping when Shiro speaks.

“Wait, one more thing.”

Keith rolls his eyes but finds himself smiling as he stays in place. He watches as Shiro presses a kiss over the bandages on each hand. The action fills him with warmth, a small habit of Shiro’s after they got to know each other (and after they got together).

“There we go,” Shiro says when he sits up, smiling at Keith. He then leans forward, kissing him quickly. “Good as new."

They both laugh and Keith pulls him in for another kiss.

  
  


Shiro’s death doesn’t quite hit him, at first.

He _knows_ that Shiro’s the best at what he does so maybe that adds to the disbelief—also the way their instructors seem to talk around it whenever questions are asked. It sets him on edge, especially when he remembers the way they would praise Shiro for everything he did and how saying his name now makes them all go tense and quiet.

Keith _hates_ it.

He hates them more, though. For staying silent about Shiro’s ‘death’ and for not giving out the answers he wants.

It’s been some time since he got into a fight, and while he still wins he knows that they’re going to go off and report it. He doesn’t really care, not even when he gets called to one of the offices.

He gets kicked out, blood on his knuckles and the taste of it in his mouth.

There’s no where he wants to go, not when Shiro isn’t there with him, but he finds himself settling down at a shack in the middle of the desert—far enough from the Garrison but close enough should Shiro ever return.

He tries cleaning off the blood and even makes an attempt at wrapping up his knuckles, like Shiro had done _months_ ago. He does a shitty job and it still hurts, it even starts to bleed again when he accidentally makes a fist but at least he did it.

Keith’s going to have to learn since he won’t have Shiro around to do it for him.

It hits him, then, that he doesn’t have Shiro around. Shiro, who would make time to take care of him and his bruises or injuries. Shiro, who would look at Keith fondly as he _always_ kissed the place he was hurt, as if that would magically heal him (and somehow it did, in a way).

Shiro, who might actually be dead.

The tears fall easily, blurring his vision as he stands there in the middle of the room. His breathing is shaky as he tries to contain his sobs, clutching his hands close to his chest. The pain from his knuckles doesn’t even compare to the grief in his heart, digging its claws in and making a home there.

After some time, tears still in his eyes, he raises his hands. Keith lets his lips graze over the bandages, breath hitching when it seems to make them hurt more.

“There we go,” He mumbles to himself, closing his eyes. “Good as new.”

The familiar words mean nothing when Shiro isn’t the one saying them.

  
  


“You’re hurt.”

Hands touch his face, one familiar and the other new. He leans into the touch with a hum, already knowing who it was. “I’m fine,” Keith murmurs, opening his eyes. “It’s not that bad.”

Shiro looks unamused. “You’re still bleeding,” He says, one hand leaving his face to brush over the side of his head. “I’d count that as bad.” He pulls away from Keith, but not before reaching down to grab his hand. “Come on, let me patch you up.”

“I can do it myself.”

“I know you can,” There’s a hint of sadness in his tone, but Shiro still smiles at him. “Let me be the one to do it this time, okay?” He suddenly looks _fond_ as he stares at Keith, and he feels like he can’t breathe. “Just like before.”

How can he say no after that?

Keith nods and they start walking. “At least it’s not my fists this time,” He says, lips twitching when he hears Shiro’s soft laugh. “But I still got into a fight.”

“You won, though, so it’s alright.”

They fall silent, Shiro still holding Keith’s hands as they keep on walking. Eventually they stop in front of a door (Shiro’s room, he assumes) and head inside. Keith is pushed onto the bed and he’s left to watch Shiro as he looks around for whatever they need.

His eyes start to close, the atmosphere welcoming and calm. He doesn’t even open them when he feels hands on his face again, humming and letting Shiro tilt his head. Keith can feel a towel against his head, movements gentle as the blood is wiped away. It makes him relax even more, ready to fall asleep even when he feels Shiro press harder for a few seconds.

“All done.”

Keith opens his eyes, meeting Shiro’s gaze. “You forgot one thing.” He says quietly, feeling his cheeks grow warm.

Shiro smiles, leaning forward to press a kiss against his forehead. “There we go,” He says, pulling away. “Good as new.”

The words, coming from Shiro, make his eyes sting a bit. It’s something he’s really missed, after all this time, and saying it by himself didn’t help. Shiro starts to turn away but Keith grabs his wrist, giving it a squeeze. Their eyes meet again and he takes a deep breath, offering a shaky smile.

“Thanks, Shiro.” He says, ducking his head. “For taking care of me.”

He doesn’t need to look at Shiro to know that he’s smiling. ”Don’t thank me, just let me do it from now on. Okay?”

Even though he could do it all himself, Keith finds himself nodding. “Okay.”

  
  


His fingers trace over the scars, glancing up whenever Shiro jolts. All he gets is a weak smile in return, like he’s trying his best to seem strong.

“Can I try something?” Keith whispers, an idea forming in his head.

Shiro looks curious but he nods. “I trust you.” He says, and that has Keith feeling warm.

The injuries are old, sure, already healed up but Keith doesn’t care. He leans forward, pressing his lips to one of the scars on his chest. His stomach feels all shaky, especially when he hears Shiro gasp, but he keeps on going. He kisses every scar he can, feeling Shiro relax more and more with each kiss.

His lips ghost over Shiro’s before he’s pressing a final kiss to the one across the bridge of his nose. “There we go,” He says softly, lips twitching. “Good as new.”

Shiro lets out a small, sad laugh. “I wish.”

“You’re still you,” Keith tells him. “And that’s all that matters.” He kisses him, feeling Shiro’s shaky sigh against his mouth. “I still love you either way.”

Arms wrap around him, pulling Keith closer. He knows that while the scars on the outside have healed, the ones on the inside have not and maybe, just maybe, this will help him.

It’s worth trying.

Shiro’s always been there for Keith and this, holding Shiro as he trembles, could be how Keith can be there for him.

**Author's Note:**

> xoxo <3
> 
> [tumblr](http://madkingray.tumblr.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/madkingxray)


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